How To Protect Your Online Data

Whether you run a local business that also has an online presence, or your entire company operates in the ecommerce sector, chances are your company has at least some of its data online. Do you know how to protect it from unscrupulous individuals? Unprotected data is one of the biggest ways cybercriminals take advantage of businesses. Protecting your financial and identity information is essential, and probably not even as hard as you think it is.

Update Your Computers Often

One of the easiest and most important ways you can protect your company's online data is by updating your computer's operating systems. Too often, people see the notification that they need to update their system while they're in the middle of something important. They set the computer to update later, but then later comes and they're still busy, so they postpone it again. The perpetual cycle of updating your system "later" leaves your company's information vulnerable to cyberattacks. In fact, many hackers specifically seek out systems that don't update regularly. To ensure your company's data stays safe, it is important to set your system to update automatically. You can set it up to do so in the middle of the night, when you're less likely to be working, and doing so ensures your system is always protected. In addition, set up your antivirus software and any other security measures you have to update automatically.

Implement API Security

You might be asking yourself "What is API security?" To answer that, you first need to understand what an API is. Do you use a web or mobile application to make work easier for your employees? Perhaps you have one that allows your customers to shop quickly and efficiently from the comfort of their own homes. Applications have a client side and a server side. They interact via an application programming interface, which is what makes it easier for developers to create the apps and ensure they work properly. Most often, APIs work over public networks and are sensitive to reverse-engineering efforts, denial of service attacks, and other malicious endeavors. API security helps to put a stop to these attacks. These security methods focus on access control, rate limiting, content validation, and monitoring and analytics, all of which can help to ensure cybercriminals can't intercept your business information.

Provide Security Training for Your Employees

Much of the job of protecting your company's online data falls upon your employees. If they aren't properly trained in internet security, your business is more likely to fall victim to a breach. Chances are your employees use email to communicate most often. This is also the most common method cybercriminals use to infect your computers with ransomware. For this reason, it is important for you to train your employees to look for the signs of phishing scams, such as incorrect email addresses, poor spelling or grammar in the email itself, or links they never expected to receive. It is also important to enact policies about using business email addresses or electronics for personal communication, not opening unexpected links, and using virus scanners before opening even expected attachments.

Learn How To Dispose of Data Safely

Data disposal is a part of running any business. Is an employee leaving the company? Have you gotten rid of outdated technology in favor of something newer? These are just two examples of situations that require you to dispose of company data. You can't just delete emails, toss old electronics in the recycling bin, and consider the task complete. It isn't as simple as moving all the files to the computer's recycling bin, either. Security experts recommend using a two-step process. First, wipe all the data from the computer completely by using a software that replaces information with gibberish. Next, you can use a degaussing process that demagnetizes the hard drive so it can't be used at all. If you'd like to take safe data disposal even further, you can use a hard drive crusher to physically destroy the system.

If you are still worried about protecting your business data, you can always call in a professional. Cybersecurity businesses are adept at the latest and greatest data protection techniques and can help you feel safer and more secure in your online business dealings.